Rin: *clears throat* Mister Emiya, could I make a request?
Kiritsugu: Please, Rin, call me Kiritsugu. You're a friend of Shirou's. You're essentially family.
Rin: *throat goes very dry* (☉_ ☉) ... Could you... elaborate on that?
Kiritsugu: *shrugs nonchalantly* Well, it just means I've got eyes and ears open for you in case trouble ever comes calling. About the same level of security as Sakura, but perhaps not as much as Illya or Shirou... I do have priorities, after all.
Kiritsugu: Heh. Don't stress over it. If you're ever confused, go talk to Sakura. She'll catch you up to speed; I'm just keeping an eye out for your safety.
Rin: ... (☉_ ☉) Okaaay...? That sounds mildly ominous...
Kiritsugu: *chuckles lightly* Your father has a better idea of my... methods. I promise, I've toned down in recent years. Shirou made me promise.
Rin: (☉_ ☉) ......... Screw it, I'm just gonna come out and ask before I lose my nerve!! *slams hands on table and leans forward with a determined expression* I'd like your blessing to date your son!!! >w<
Kiritsugu: *pours himself a cup of coffee* Permission granted. *sips calmly, closing his eyes*
Rin: Look, I know you and my father were bitter enemies in the Grail War, I just...! I'm not planning anything!!! ٩(๑ `н´๑)۶ Honestly, I only met him through school, and probably wouldn't have known about him if he wasn't helping everyone and... and...! He's not even that good of a magus, did you bother to teach him anything?! ٩(๑ `н´๑)۶ But never mind that!! I promise, I just need one- ... Wait, huh? ಠಿ_ಠ You... huh? ಠಿ_ಠ
Rin: ... ಠಿ_ಠ Whyyy are you so chill?! Didn't you hear what I asked?! *flaps arms emphatically*
Kiritsugu: *shrugs nonchalantly* You're dating, it's not a marriage proposal... Yet. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Shirou knows the rules about intimacy engagements, and I think I hardly need to tell you to save certain stuff for later.
Rin: ಠಿ_ಠ That goes without saying, but I'm still confused as hell, Mr. E- *coughs* Kiritsugu, sir. My own father gave me the "no way, he's a worthless commoner" shpiel, and I was thinking you'd be a similar stubborn wall. ಠಿ_ಠ *mutters* At this rate, I figured we'd have to run off and elope to get anywhere...
Kiritsugu: Mmm... Let me guess, you never mentioned Shirou's surname.
Rin: I figured that would only make it impossible if he knew who Shirou was!!! ٩(๑ `н´๑)۶ He still treats Uncle Kariya and Sakura like they don't exist...
Kiritsugu: ≖‿≖ Tell you what, Rin. Give your dad my phone number, and tell him that I - Shirou's dad - would like a word. Tonight. If I don't hear from him by 9PM, I'll be dropping by to have the chat in-person.
Rin: O...kay? ಠಿ_ಠ Do I just tell him the Magus Killer wants to talk, or...? ಠಿ_ಠ
Kiritsugu: Retired Magus Killer, and no, no. No need to spoil the surprise; just tell him Shirou's dad wants to talk at his earliest convenience. ≖‿≖ It's nothing, just a trifle.
Rin: *knows bullshit when she hears it* ಠಿ_ಠ Well, since we both know you're gonna scare my dad to death, can you at least tell me why you're so open to me dating Shirou? I mean, you're not dense like that idiot; you hafta know he's got... tons of girls that like him. ಠಿ_ಠ
Kiritsugu: (❋•‿•❋) I've come to accept my son's love life is... complicated. You're not the first to ask. And Shirou's has feelings for... a few of you girls.
Rin: ... Wait, what?! (⊙▂⊙✖ )
Kiritsugu: (❋•‿•❋) It's not my place to tell you. All I can promise is that I won't tell anyone that you finally asked me for permission, and that I've just as easily given that permission to the other girls who have asked. (❋•‿•❋)
Rin: Why?! (╬ಠ益ಠ)
Kiritsugu: Because Shirou's situation is hardly normal to begin with. If I don't help nudge you all, Shirou is only going to isolate himself to keep from hurting you girls. You know what he's like.
Rin: I... well... B-But...! (☉_ ☉) *sighs miserably* ... He'd seriously close himself off...? Ugh. What am I even saying. Of course he would. Damn idiot places himself below one of those... Roomba things. (╬≖_≖)
Kiritsugu: If you're that worked up about it, you can talk to your fellow suitors and hash things out. Though I would request you talk about it with Shirou, too. Confirm where everyone's heads are at.
Rin: ... Can you at least tell me how many have already talked with you? (╬≖_≖)
Kiritsugu: Let's see... *counts to three on his fingers before grinning up at her* You're the fourth one. (❋•‿•❋)
Rin: Fourth?! (⊙▂⊙✖ )
Kiritsugu: I'm not giving you any names with the exception of one because she's a special case... But Illya was the first to breach the topic with me.
Rin: *deadpans* ... Your... daughter. (╬≖_≖)
Kiritsugu: To be fair, she and Shirou aren't related by blood. And this way, I don't have to hunt down any boys outside the family to ensure they're on the up-and-up. She can take on the name "Emiya" like she always wanted. (❋•‿•❋) I know Illya's a bit of a handful, but I ask for your patience in dealing with her. She really does love Shirou.
Rin: I can't promise to hold back if she pisses me off, but I'll do my best to not... permanently injure her. (╬≖_≖)
Kiritsugu: That's all I can ask. (❋•‿•❋) In return, I'll keep Illya from going all-out on her end. Oh, and I hardly need to tell you that magic will be strictly outlawed in this house. Any disputes must be taken outdoors.
Rin: What if there's an intruder, and we have to repel them?! (╬ಠ益ಠ)
Kiritsugu: I can promise you, I've got the house covered. (❋•‿•❋) You ladies just keep cool heads and above all, don't waste Shirou's cooking.
Rin: ... That's a low blow, sir. (╬≖_≖) *as if she would ever waste Shirou's cooking; that's sacrilege*
Oh dude I wish I have some kind of experience doing cosplay or creating animatics because I can't stop thinking about that meme where people wipe clean the mirror, you know the one, but with Shiro and the Shiros
As you guys know, the poll ended up being a 3-way tie... Technically. Although, based off the accidental "first" poll where Artoria had more votes tying her with Sakura... I'm gonna be generous and throw the King of Knights in here as an "unofficial" winner. It's the only poll that changed drastically enough, and I feel bad for flubbing up the first time. XD
... So, uh. Yeah. I'll be writing up 4 posts before posting anything. Be sure to cycle through my posts to find your favorite girl(s)... The official winners are Rin, Sakura, and Luvia. I'll be getting to Mitsuzuri, Illya, and Reines later. XD
The Beginning
To top off this series of posts, I'm going to do the "unofficial" winner, too... As stated, I flubbed up with the poll last week, and I fear that skewered results somewhat. While Sakura still got her votes, Artoria's... petered out... And I don't wanna disappoint any fans looking forward to her. XD It's only a small concession, but here we are~ Artoria Pendragon. Otherwise known as S E I B A. ... Saber. (人◕ω◕) I'm not as much into "Seiba Nation" as a lot of fans are... But this isn't a bad ship. ... I might just tweak some things to ramp up my own excitement. First, though... The disclaimer~
Fate: Stay Night is all about branching timelines. As such, to cater to all seven members of this harem in a single worldline, we'll be looking at an AU separate from the canon ones, regardless of how similarly events may play out. Just a forewarning.
As I did with the Sakura and Rin posts, I'll give a brief overview of the Fourth Holy Grail War, to start us off.
As most fans are aware, the Fourth Holy Grail War is Ground Zero for all the events that come about in the subsequent war... And it's just as much common knowledge that the Heroic Spirit Artoria Pendragon... and the Magus Killer Kiritsugu Emiya... did not get along.
Not. One. Bit.
But this is a development that comes about later in the war. At the start, Artoria had high hopes of serving her Master, and by extension his wife, well and emerging triumphant in this epic battle. He seemed to have a strange way of operating, but Artoria did as she was instructed, staying by Irisveil's side. Though he did not seem to know his place in his feelings about the subjects she ruled over, how they treated her as a "man" and not a woman, the King of Knights was willing to believe Iri that Kiritsugu was a noble man who sought for a peaceful world, to fight all evil in the world.
This war, however... Does not go as Artoria expects. After the battle on the pier, where she clashed with Lancer, Berserker, Archer, and Rider, Kiritsugu entered some... arrangement with Berserker's Master. And the war was temporarily on hold until an outside matter was dealt with. Artoria didn't understand the whole situation, but it apparently revolved around some girl that Berserker's Master was trying to save; that's as much as Irisveil knew about it. Something about the Matou family having stooped so low...
Still, the situation resolved itself, and the war seemed to be back on track. ... Or so Artoria thought. Apparently Kiritsugu was still holding Berserker's Master to whatever "deal" they struck, and so Berserker would not be her opponent, at least not for some time. Artoria feels mixed about this arrangement, as she fears Berserker stabbing them in the back in a bout of madness...
But it doesn't pan out that way. Iskandar holds a "banquet" among the Kings, and shortly after defeats Assassin, who intrudes on their gathering... Then the Masters band together to defeat Caster. And after all those exceptional situations, Artoria is almost glad to have her duel with Lancer at long last...
And then Kiritsugu ruins it, forcing Lancer's Master to kill his Servant... and then killed that same Master and his beloved in cold blood. That's the first real time Artoria understands that she and Kiritsugu will never get along.
... Yet Artoria gets an opportunity to reclaim her honor when she battles Iskandar. With his Reality Marble, it's a titanic battle... But she emerges triumphant with Excalibur. And around that same time, Berserker is felled by Archer.
Just like that, it's down to Saber and Archer to determine who will win the Grail... And Kiritsugu battles it out with Kirei. Gilgamesh proves too much trouble for Artoria, and even when Kiritsugu emerges triumphant, he betrays her and orders her to destroy the Grail for reasons unknown. At least unknown to her.
That war went on to be a stain for Artoria, one of her greatest failures... She and Kiritsugu never got resolution, and likely never would have even if they had gotten their happy ending... Their methods and ideals were too at odds. And yet... in the last few years of his life, Kiritsugu managed to save his daughter Illya. And he adopted Shiro, as the boy was made an orphan by the Great Fire. And they had Maiya supporting them as well.
It wasn't a perfect family life... Kiritsugu still died a few years after adopting Shiro. Maiya was left to care for the children, and Shiro promised that he would become a Hero someday in Kiritsugu's stead. Illya doesn't tell Shiro anything about the Grail War, even with her little brother picking up Trace and Reinforcement magic, as Kiritsugu had taught him. If she can help it, she doesn't want Shiro involved in the nightmare that is the Grail War. If they're lucky, they'll be old by the time the next one rolls around... That's what Illya is thinking, anyway. At least for the first few years.
That day for Shiro to stand up and prove himself... would come soon enough, as the Fifth Holy Grail War arrived. Cornered by Lancer after witnessing a battle between Servants, and then having been revived, Shiro summons Saber, running on pure instincts and fear.
It's... an awkward encounter. Saber repels Lancer... But Shiro knows nothing of the Grail Wars, barely knows any magic at all. He's even more spooked that Illya reveals she has a Servant of her own - Berserker - and hadn't counted on Shiro being involved in the conflict. Artoria gets a strange sense of deja vu upon seeing Illya, and she reveals that Irisveil was her mother, and Kiritsugu was her father. Shiro is the adopted son of Kiritsugu.
Artoria doesn't know what to think about these revelations... Shiro knows nothing of war, let alone the Grail War, and yet despite his lack of knowledge, despite whether he should bother getting involved... Shiro courageously accepts his role as a Master. As Artoria is soon to discover, Shiro is the polar opposite of Kiritsugu - the boy wears his heart on his sleeve, he's reckless, but he cares enough to protect people... Even tries to protect Artoria herself, despite their clear gap in combat ability.
She felt conflicted about being contracted to the Emiya's once more, even if she knew Illya from 10 years ago... But the more she spends time with Shiro, the more she is willing to give this new Master a shot. Her ideals resonate with Shiro, rather than clash... And for that, Artoria is grateful.
The Middle Act
Saber is... a very loyal, and dedicated Servant. (人◕ω◕);;; However... It's awful enough that Shiro is willing to ally with his sister when clearly there can be only one victor for the Grail. But it doesn't stop there. One of Shiro's schoolmates is also a Master, and he wishes to ally with her, too.
This is not how Holy Grail Wars are conducted. Saber is quite cross about it. (人◕ω◕);;;;;;; As rough as the last war went, at least alliances were temporary... The way Shiro talks with Illya and Sakura... makes Saber realize that Shiro understands very little about how these conflicts are supposed to go. The Grail can only grant one wish, and Artoria is both dutybound to make that wish go to her Master and selfish enough that she herself wants the wish... To save Britain.
It's not so easy just letting Shiro make alliances as he pleases. Shiro gives his trust out far too simply, and it's hard enough assuming Rider won't pull something... But to turn her back on Berserker? Never. Saber is too paranoid, and she almost rejoices when yet another schoolmate turns out to be a Master and she rejects Shiro's attempt at alliance.
... Because if four of them were on the same team, how was this conflict ever supposed to end? That's what Artoria worried over, in those early days of the war. Shiro was too trusting, and moreover there were just too many children doing battle... Saber needed to personally destroy some Servants, or she would never get any peace of mind about this.
Shiro tried calming her down, and while Artoria could understand not wanting to end his sister or his friends, the fact is their Servants needed to be eliminated. At the very least. When Shiro asks for kendo lessons, Artoria does so with gusto; she's a hard taskmaster, and she needs to vent.
Things go downhill when Caster kidnaps Shiro in an attempt to steal his Command Seals. Saber, Illya, Berserker, Sakura, and Rider all mount a rescue operation and defeat Caster, Assassin, and Caster's Master... Saber's thrilled to have made progress, and yet... For the next few days she fretted over Shiro and refused to continue training him. She didn't want him to get captured again and lose his Command Seals...
Not too surprisingly, however, Shiro does win her back over... with food. If cooking was a type of magic, Shiro would be the undisputed master. ... And to Saber's dismay, she has a rather... insatiable appetite. She grudgingly goes back to giving Shiro kendo lessons, though she impressed upon him the importance of letting her handle the Servants. With only five Servants remaining, Saber was beginning to plot how to take down Berserker before he could turn on them... Not that she escaped Illya's shrewd gaze; Illya assured the King of Knights she would never hurt her brother. They'd find a way to get the Grail without turning on each other, Illya and Sakura were quite adamant about staying loyal to Shiro.
It doesn't reassure Artoria. Not exactly. Shiro keeps insisting they're a team, but she's increasingly wary of Sakura and Illya betraying her, and just keeping Shiro alive. Saber doesn't like being paranoid... But after the last war, how can she not be?
Eventually they battle it out with Archer and Rin. And they come to discover Archer is a future possibility of Shiro, bitter about being unable to fulfill his ideals, and bitter about being betrayed in life... Archer wanted to destroy Shiro to end the cycle, but it wasn't to be. Not when he was fighting 3 against 1... 4, if you count Shiro trying to throw himself into the ring. These revelations about Shiro aren't easy to swallow, though Artoria certainly understands sacrificing themselves for one's people...
Shiro's problem is that he wants to save everyone. Including his enemies. It's a lofty dream... Perhaps too lofty. At least on his own. While Artoria still seeks to have her wish granted, she also finds a stronger resolve to support Shiro and his dream. Because in him, she senses a similar noble spirit...
Alas, Gilgamesh rears his ugly head. He takes down Berserker, and kidnaps Illya. He informs them of the Grail's true nature, taunts them and challenges them to come and fight...
It's a lot for Saber to take in. The wish-granting cup that she's tried to win for two wars now... It's nothing but a corrupted abomination. And moreover, Gilgamesh remained behind in this world, and she had been unable to defeat him last time. After Shiro performs that ritual with Rin to obtain more magical power, Saber comes to the realization that Avalon is implanted within Shiro... And she deduces it was Kiritsugu's doing. Shiro gives it back to her, hoping it will be enough to overcome Gilgamesh...
And she does. Artoria emerges triumphant in this battle, just as Medusa defeats Lancer and Shiro defeats Kirei... And after rescuing Illya, they all resolve to destroy the Greater Grail. They don't have to fight each other anymore, just destroy the Grail...
Artoria manages it. And yet... even though she expected to fade away after accomplishing this final task, because Shiro had one Command Seal left... Through some miracle, the ensuing explosion of energy granted her a new mortal body. And the same was true for Medusa.
This wasn't the ending they were expecting... But Artoria thinks she can live with this outcome. She didn't save Britain from ruin... But she does have a second chance at life. Opportunities like this almost never come by...
The Future
Living in the modern age... takes some getting used to for Artoria. She got a taste of it in both of the Grail Wars she fought in, but she knows full well this new arrangement will be... longer lasting. And moreover, she and Medusa both lost their Heroic Spirit abilities. Artoria still has muscle memory, and can move relatively quickly... But she's no longer superhumanly strong.
... And that's alright. Artoria can tolerate being "just a human" again. She's not overseeing another kingdom, but she does have a treasured family in Shiro, Illya, Sakura, and Rin. Artoria is even formally introduced to Mitsuzuri, and they hit it off pretty well. Seeing Maiya again when she returns... makes Artoria feel conflicted, but she can tell the woman is looking out for Shiro and Illya, keeping Kiritsugu's enemies off their trails.
She obliges Rin's plan to take Shiro to London for a few years, believing it would be just like a vacation for the three of them... Except Rin doesn't think bringing Artoria along is a good idea. ... And Artoria has quite cross words to say about that, insisting she must stay by Shiro's side...
Eventually Artoria grudgingly acquiesces. It's pointed out that if the Clocktower ever found out that she used to be a Heroic Spirit, she'd be experimented on by mages in no time flat. It's all too tempting to visit her homeland... It's just not a good idea for Artoria to do so at this time.
At least Shiro promises to bring her there someday. ... So that's something.
Artoria keeps the house in order while Shiro's away, juggling the antics of Sakura, Illya, Mitsuzuri, and Taiga-sensei... Sure, Shiro and Rin graduated from high school, but there's no need to do away with the honorific.
When Shiro gets back... Artoria is glad he's home. More than words can describe. (人◕ω◕) Of Shiro's girls, she's definitely the de-facto leader. It's too troublesome to let any of the others take charge. Artoria-chan is very prim and proper, and rules will be followed... (人◕ω◕)*** Even though Sakura took Shiro's virginity... Artoria is never able to quite forgive her for that. (人◕ω◕)
Rin bearing the first children is also an affront to Artoria's honor, but... Artoria will happily take the children that Shiro plants in her womb. (人◕ω◕) As competitive as she can be, the former King of Knights must still set an example. ... Even if she's jealous and moping. (人◕ω◕)
It's fine~... The end goal is to ensure Shiro's happiness. And to help him save others. As former leader of the Knights of the Round Table, Artoria is pleased to have all that battle experience, to help Shiro in the most dire of situations.
Everything will be fine~! \(人◕ω◕)/ Shiro and Artoria will uphold each other's honor. They respect and admire each other. Truly a touching, heartfelt couple. (人◕ω◕) ... If Artoria views the other members of the harem as her new "subjects", that is her business. No one else's. (人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)
First post: https://www.tumblr.com/pyropsychiccollector/743914272095092736/shiro-harem-holy-grail-war-of-love-17?source=share
Second post: https://www.tumblr.com/pyropsychiccollector/743914300198027264/shiro-harem-holy-grail-war-of-love-27?source=share
Third post: https://www.tumblr.com/pyropsychiccollector/743914313492873216/shiro-harem-holy-grail-war-of-love-37?source=share
As you guys know, the poll ended up being a 3-way tie... Technically. Although, based off the accidental "first" poll where Artoria had more votes tying her with Sakura... I'm gonna be generous and throw the King of Knights in here as an "unofficial" winner. It's the only poll that changed drastically enough, and I feel bad for flubbing up the first time. XD
... So, uh. Yeah. I'll be writing up 4 posts before posting anything. Be sure to cycle through my posts to find your favorite girl(s)... The official winners are Rin, Sakura, and Luvia. I'll be getting to Mitsuzuri, Illya, and Reines later. XD
The Beginning
For myself, I saved the best for last among the official poll winners... (人◕ω◕) Rin-chan is a giant tsundere, but Shiro helps bring the goober out of her, and it's fantastic~... Here's the usual disclaimer.
Fate: Stay Night is all about branching timelines. As such, to cater to all seven members of this harem in a single worldline, we'll be looking at an AU separate from the canon ones, regardless of how similarly events may play out. Just a forewarning.
Because Rin and Sakura are inextricably tied together as sisters, I'll do a brief recap of the Fourth Holy Grail War. Hit the highlights, at least.
The biggest difference is that Kariya strikes an alliance with Kiritsugu early in the war. (人◕ω◕) Maiya encountered him, and knowing that summoning Berserker just to murder a human woman would waste energy that he sorely needs... Kariya essentially prioritizes his ultimate goal: Save Sakura. He offers Berserker's strength if Maiya and whoever she works for would save Sakura. Negotiations are touch-and-go, but Kiritsugu agrees to the alliance as Iri has him empathize with Kariya even a little, considering he has his own daughter that he wants to protect.
And after Kariya shares with Kiritsugu the particulars of Zouken, why he's so hard to kill... They go to the church about the matter, as it's not directly related to the war. And because Zouken has been dabbling in taboos and represents a genuine threat, Risei suspends the war briefly so that Risei, Kirei, and Tokiomi can exterminate Zouken as he attempts to flee the estate with Sakura.
Bottom line is that Zouken is eliminated, and Kariya strikes a new deal with Tokiomi that if Kariya survives the war, then Tokiomi will allow Sakura to live with the Matou's until Kariya passes. Tokiomi agrees to the challenge, believing it will only be a minor hindrance at most to get around to relocating Sakura to a new magus family. Kariya won't have long to live no matter what. (人◕ω◕)
But... Tokiomi miscalculates. Kirei still betrays him late in the war, when there's only four Servants remaining. Saber defeats Iskandar, and Gilgamesh wipes out Lancelot. It still becomes a battle between Kirei and Kiritsugu, and Artoria and Gilgamesh. Artoria is still used to "destroy the Grail", which triggers the Great Fire. Kirei and Gilgamesh are still kept around and tainted by the Grail. The difference is that Kariya survives too, and after leaving Shiro in Kiritsugu's care he returns to take care of Sakura for the next few years.
I dredge all of this history up because ultimately, it improves relations between Sakura, Rin, and their mother Aoi. (人◕ω◕) Kariya isn't framed for Tokiomi's death, and Aoi gets to live. Sure, Sakura is still conflicted and bitter about the trauma she's faced, about being given up... But with Uncle Kariya around for a few more years to take care of her, and to keep Shinji from becoming a complete bastard, Sakura becomes a little less broken.
Rin also treasures "Uncle Kariya", though. Even if Sakura has dibs, so to speak, Rin still treasures what time she gets to spend with Kariya. She's grateful for what he did for Sakura, and was horrified to hear, even vaguely, the sort of monster Zouken was... Rin still endeavors to be the Tohsaka heiress, but she comes to see the "remnants" of the Matou as extended family because of Kariya and Sakura. ... Even if Shinji is a turd, and Rin would rather not deal with him.
While Kariya doesn't bother making advances on Aoi because he respects a grieving mother who lost her husband, they're still good friends. And if her mother got together with anyone else, Rin would have fully backed Uncle Kariya... Unfortunately he wasn't around long enough to make that happen. When he passed, Sakura withdrew into herself, and Rin and Aoi kept trying to reach out to her. Sakura didn't sever ties or anything... She was just wrestling with her conflicting feelings, and still sorting through the trauma she went through under Zouken.
Rin was unaware of Kirei taking on Sakura as a reluctant second student. Mostly because she spent as little time as possible around the man, not liking the rat one little bit. The bottom line is that Rin turned out mostly the same between wars; her connection with Sakura is better, still a bit frayed, and their mother is still alive... But that's it. Rin continues excelling in school and studying the magic arts.
She hears about Sakura growing close to some guy that's in the same year as Rin, but because of how their bond isn't quite what it used to be, Rin doesn't pry and keeps her distance. That doesn't mean she never notices Shiro for herself; Rin still watches and admires Shiro from a distance in school, not knowing who he is until she hears he's something akin to the "unofficial janitor" with how he keeps helping everyone. ... Moreover, Rin also hears about the boy through her friendship with Mitsuzuri. She almost considers joining the archery club, just to get an up close look for herself... But Shiro leaves the club, finding archery to be too easy, and Rin loses interest in the club.
When the Grail War prematurely rolls around (50 years early), and Rin is selected as a Master... She winds up saving Shiro, after he gets killed by Lancer for stumbling on his fight with Archer. Rin also tries to go save Shiro again when she realizes Lancer will target him again... But to her shock, he summons Saber when cornered. ... And not just that. The little girl that Shiro lives with... His supposed sister... She confronts Rin with Berserker, which drives Rin and Archer away from the Emiya residence.
The Middle Act
Rin is... uneasy about the war, after hearing that Illya helped sign Shiro up. And moreover, that Sakura is also a Master, and that all three of them have forged an alliance. In Rin's eyes, this isn't how Grail Wars are supposed to be conducted... This isn't what her father prepared her for.
... But there's no use crying over spilled milk. Rin's determined to win the war for the honor of the Tohsaka, and she'll find some way to win without killing Sakura or Shiro... Even if the big idiot keeps leaping into battles that aren't his to fight... (人◕ω◕);;; Rin really isn't happy to hear about how reckless Shiro is... Much less see it firsthand.
After the alliance takes down Caster and Assassin... Rin has little choice except to try hammering out a ceasefire agreement with Lancer until the bigger threat is dealt with. ... And that doesn't pan out, because Lancer's Master reneges on the deal and Lancer never shows up for the battle.
Rin's left to try tackling the alliance on her own... And it doesn't help that Archer's "priority" seems to be killing Shiro. She ends up using Command Seals to make him target only the Servants, and the jerk still fights tooth and nail to resist her... He doesn't stand a chance against Saber, Rider, and Berserker all at once. And when he has a final bitter exchange with Shiro, who refuses to back down on his ideals... Rin truly becomes concerned. Nobody should be that selfless... There's such a thing as "self-care", and Shiro doesn't have a shred of that in his body.
But Rin's Holy Grail War is technically over... She lost Archer. And she's powerless when Gilgamesh enters the fray and annihilates Berserker, before spiriting away with Illya. Gilgamesh informed them of the Grail's true nature, and believes they have no chance of saving humanity. Shiro is determined to go after him, but Sakura, Medusa, Artoria, and Rin reel him in. They need a plan, and every advantage they can get.
With the knowledge that Archer was some future Shiro, or a potential Shiro, they know he has the potential for a Reality Marble. So Rin shares part of her family crest with him, which also shares one of her most intimate memories of him, watching him relentlessly attempt the high jump... Rin is deeply embarrassed about the whole ordeal, and it only gets worse for her when Shiro confesses that she's special to him, too... That he always admired her from afar, and even if they were rivals in this war... He still wanted to protect her, to ally with her. Rin grumbles and just knows she's never gonna recover from this embarrassment... Shiro's too nice... And you can't even hate the guy for "flirting" with other girls! He just wears his heart on his sleeve. And Shiro has a big heart...
Sakura-chan gives her an earful for that ritual, sharing the family crest... She won't lose when Shiro's on the line. Medusa voices her support of Sakura, and Artoria is determined to support Shiro... Yeahhh... Rin can tell things are gonna get weird around here, if they're all going after the same guy. (人◕ω◕)
But they have a Grail War to win, first. Medusa takes on Lancer. Saber takes on Gilgamesh. And Shiro battles Kirei, with Rin and Sakura backing him up. They're grueling battles... But they manage to win completely and save Illya. And then they go to target the Greater Grail, using Saber's mightiest attack, and completely end the Grail Wars. Or they will, once they sever all the leylines.
... Oh. And Artoria and Medusa miraculously retained new mortal bodies. Isn't that delightful? They get to stick around in the modern era. Rin sure thinks this is just peachy. (人◕ω◕)
The Future
After the Grail War ends... Rin turns her attention to her suicidal idiot... *cough* That is, her new beau. ... Er. New beau shared by... several girls. (人◕ω◕);;;
Anyway~...
Rin knows even with their collective efforts, they won't be able to talk Shiro out of his unhealthy mindset. They don't want him to completely change... Just take greater care of himself. Consider his own happiness.
And to start him on that path of recovery... Rin drags him along to London. Because if he stays around all six of them - Rin, Sakura, Illya, Mitsuzuri, Medusa, and Artoria... Shiro's not gonna have any "me" time, at least in his mind. He's gonna push himself too hard to please all of them, and he'll struggle when he tries going for his selfless ambitions, travelling around the world to help people.
... Shiro needs to start small. And Rin takes point on this, knowing full well that he won't want to become a full-fledged magus. The few years at the Clocktower will give Rin alone time with Shiro, and make him learn to have a good time... Even if that's like trying to get blood from a stone.
Things don't go completely according to plan. Shiro's selfless leanings gets him close with new women... Luvia and that royal bitch Reines. (人◕ω◕);;; Rin isn't too happy seeing them "toy around" with Shiro... Well, that's mostly Reines. Luvia is a more noble sort, even if Rin can't stand her...
And when it comes time to return to Japan, Luvia and Reines come with them. Whether Rin likes it or not. (人◕ω◕) Doesn't help that Rin gets "punished" for her few years alone with Shiro, all the other girls hogging the Shiro prime time now... But at least Shiro, the big dummy sweetheart, still does his best too ensure Rin feels loved. (人◕ω◕)
Sakura might have gotten started early on the kinky before everyone else... But Rin is the first to have kids with Shiro, down the line. And it's a pretty tight race. (人◕ω◕) Marriage is a tricky affair with all of them... But Shiro is stubborn, and wants all of them married at the same time, so... That's fun. (人◕ω◕)
i suppose you could say the charm of Rin and Shiro's relationship is that they're strong-willed people who stand on equal footing with each other. They respect and admire one another, and they keep each other grounded in reality. Shiro helps Rin to look beyond the rigid rules and traditions of magi... And Rin fights tooth and nail to make Shiro be less selfless, to care for himself more. It's not all sunshine and rainbows, they're both stubborn and are prone to arguments... But they easily reconcile, and know that they love each other. (人◕ω◕) When Rin eventually goes to complete her education at the Clocktower, she does so not only for herself but also to continue growing strong to support Shiro. (人◕ω◕) She's glad to pick up connections and skills so that when Shiro does get around to travelling the world, she can arrange people to help him in a pinch~ He wants to be a Hero of Justice? Fine. But he's going to do so knowing he's not alone~ (人◕ω◕)
It takes many years, but Rin and everyone else helps Shiro mellow out. It's fine to be selfless, to care about others, but not to your own detriment. Rin is at the forefront of that fight, to make Shiro feel happy... It's a tougher fight than even the Grail War, but Rin-chan is proud to take up arms. (人◕ω◕) Shiro will be happy, she'll make sure of it~
First post: https://www.tumblr.com/pyropsychiccollector/743914272095092736/shiro-harem-holy-grail-war-of-love-17?source=share
Second post: https://www.tumblr.com/pyropsychiccollector/743914300198027264/shiro-harem-holy-grail-war-of-love-27?source=share
Mahiru: *sitting at a bar near the top of a grand hotel on Okinawa* It's nice to get away from the snow and ice once in a while~ n___n
Yukiko: Oh, was your guys' area hit pretty bad? (✿◠‿◠)
Mikan: N-Not exactly... *at Mahiru's grumpy stare* >w< Um. Not worse than everywhere else...
Mahiru: Mikan-chan, you don't get to say that. @___@*** We couldn't let you shovel because of your slipping and sliding. It was just me, Hajime, Chiaki, and Natsumi busting our rumps out there. And even with numbers like that, it was HEAVY!!!
Mikan: I'm sorryyyyy! DX *bows way too deeply*
Yukiko: Wow... We live on a mountain, so I figured we had it the worst. (✿◠‿◠);;; Four people shoveling... And you still had it rough...
Mahiru: :x Yeah, well. We use this underground parking garage cuz there's so many of us, and we needed to get access to the roads. Not to mention the sidewalks around our house... And we had to get it all cleared out in the early morning, so it's that much colder. :x And there's no way I was gonna let Hajime tackle that all on his own. No sir. *nod nod*
Yukiko: Hajime's the type to tackle everything on his own, huh?
Mahiru and Mikan: EVERYTHING! >:[
Yuzuki: Oh, you guys use a parking garage too, huh? (✿◠‿◠) We know that feeling. Though like Yukiko said, we hafta make our way down the mountain each day to get to our jobs...
Yukiko: Going down's the fun part. :3 Skiing, sledding, or snowboarding~...
Yuzuki: Yeah, it's the journey back up, isn't it? That's the real bummer. @~~@***
Yukiko: (✿◠‿◠) On the bright side, Koro-sensei and Hayate are looking into skii lift options for that part~...
Yuzuki: Mm! (✿◠‿◠)
Mikan: S-S-Skiing s-sounds f-fun... nwn
Mahiru: No, they don't!! No skiing for you. (๑•́ ₃ •̀๑) You remember the last time.
Mikan: (✿ヘᴥヘ) I r-rolled into a b-big snowball...! Hajime had to dig me out~... nwn
Yuzuki: :x ... Big snowball?
Mahiru: (✿◠‿◠)*** Gravity seems to hate Mikan-chan... She'll literally trip and fall over air, but when on a ski slope...? Well. :x Roll enough snow together and it becomes a ball. And she was going REALLY fast...
Mikan: *still giggling to herself despite the compromising state she'd been in at the time... or perhaps BECAUSE of the compromising state* (✿◠‿◠)
Mahiru: >___>
Yukiko: Well, that sounds...
Rio: *walks up all glum* >w<
Yuzuki: What's wrong, Rio-chan? Lose a bit too much at the poker tables? n__n;;;;;;;; *a little anxious to find out*
Rio: DX I lost EVERYTHING! *points back at two separate tables, where a sizeable audience has gathered to watch* I tried two different tables and went bust. (✿◠‿◠);;; Kaede-chan's gonna be pissed...
Yukiko and Yuzuki: Yes, she will be. (✿◠‿◠);;;;;;;;;;;;
Mahiru: :x Excuse me? *raises hand to gather attention* Um. Who did you lose to?
Rio: >w< Some goth chick...
Mahiru: Uh-huh. Dumb of you to challenge that one, but go on? :x
Rio: And some chick calling herself former yakuza. >w<
Mahiru and Mikan: DON'T PLAY HER!!!!!
Yuzuki, Yukiko, and Rio: o___o That bad...?
Mikan: N-Natsumi-chan is mean at games... >w<
Mahiru: She'll do everything short of cheating because she's THAT passionate about cards. >:[ *huffs* I should have known not to let her go gambling... But it's not like Hajime can say "no" to her, so what was I supposed to do? >___>
Rio: Well. :x I'd say the goth chick cleaned me out more. That Natsumi chick just got the scraps of what I had left. ... Although I think there was a couple girls who wagered more than I did...
Yukiko: (✿◠‿◠);;; Rio-chan, there's a reason we don't let you go gambling... Be happy we gave you spending money at all.
Rio: Oi, I'm a GREAT gambler! Those two were just demons! DX
Yuzuki: Who put in more money than you? It's not like we're millionaires or anything, but we've got, like... Eight incomes between all of us? Counting Nagisa, I mean. o.o
Rio: >w< Some blonde foreigner who wailed about getting cleaned out of food allowance... Kinda weird with that armor cosplay, too. The other chick's right over there. *points a little bit away from them*
Rin: *drunkenly wails* Stupid, *hic* bozo-bitch cheaters...! I knew I shoulda shot for craps! DX *slumps on the bar counter, moaning that she doesn't have enough money to get blackout drunk*
Mahiru: :x Well, you're the idiots who thought betting everything against the Ultimate Gambler and Natsumi was a brilliant idea.
As you guys know, the poll ended up being a 3-way tie... Technically. Although, based off the accidental "first" poll where Artoria had more votes tying her with Sakura... I'm gonna be generous and throw the King of Knights in here as an "unofficial" winner. It's the only poll that changed drastically enough, and I feel bad for flubbing up the first time. XD
... So, uh. Yeah. I'll be writing up 4 posts before posting anything. Be sure to cycle through my posts to find your favorite girl(s)... The official winners are Rin, Sakura, and Luvia. I'll be getting to Mitsuzuri, Illya, and Reines later. XD
The Beginning
Let's just jump into #2 now~... (人◕ω◕) Sakura-chan is... She's an interesting one. I like her supportive dynamic with Shiro, but for my own peace of mind I'm tweaking things... Mostly for Sakura's sake, but a bit for Shiro's sake as well.
But first, the disclaimer:
Fate: Stay Night is all about branching timelines. As such, to cater to all seven members of this harem in a single worldline, we'll be looking at an AU separate from the canon ones, regardless of how similarly events may play out. Just a forewarning.
With that out of the way... I do need to stress this is where we begin to look at the divergences in the timeline. Because even if she didn't show up often in Fate Zero, you could argue she had an important role even back then... The Fourth Holy Grail War is where her life began going down the crapper, and the war's conclusion shattered Shiro as a person. You could argue that the divergences in the Fourth War play into why the Fifth War panned out so differently in this AU. Both wars are intimately connected~... So I'm gonna go ham here. Apologies for those who might prefer a more broken Sakura... But that's too angsty for my palette. I won't allow it. (人◕ω◕)***
Let's start with the big one. Sakura had an Uncle Kariya who meant the world to her. (人◕ω◕) Sakura was born the second daughter of the Tohsaka family, and her father Tokiomi being the brilliant man that he is... He decided to judiciously follow the laws and traditions of magi families - that there can only ever be one heir that inherits the Magical Crest of the Tohsaka's. And instead of letting Sakura choose her own life, her own path, Tokiomi decided because Sakura had so much potential that she should be given away to the Matou's, an ally mage family. So that she could be groomed into their heir, since they didn't have one. Not a proper one; Shinji was too weak to be considered an heir.
Seems "reasonable", yeah? Just give Sakura away to an ally magus family. Give the "unnecessary" child up for adoption... (人◕ω◕)*** Unfortunately, Tokiomi is a fool. It's one thing to want what's best for your kids... It's also one thing to follow traditions zealously because that's always how things have "always" been done, not all cultures encourage reflection and adaptation... (人◕ω◕)** But this guy gave his kid away to a veritable vampire and didn't know it. Of course Zouken hides his longevity pretty well... On top of how he's stayed alive for centuries...
It was a pretty big mistake. But that's what it was: A mistake. Because for all that I can harp on Tokiomi's idiocy all day, he didn't do it maliciously... He did want Sakura to thrive and come into her own as a magus. Even if that meant competing with her sister Rin one day. ... But you know what they say about good intentions, the road they pave... (人◕ω◕)
Still, this is when Kariya enters the picture. Just as the Fourth Holy Grail War is entering the final phases of preparation, he returns to Japan from some trip around the world that took a while. His lifelong friend Aoi Tohsaka, Rin and Sakura's mom, is used to him being away for lengthy periods and is simply happy to see him back. Rin is happy enough to see him, too... But when he opens up the can of worms that is Sakura, mother and daughter grow despondent. He learns about Tokiomi giving Sakura away to the Matou's, the family that he's distanced himself from because he can't stand being around them... Particularly around "grandfather"...
But Kariya can't let things be, no matter how much Aoi begs him. Aoi was the woman he loved, and still loves... And he treasures her daughters just as much. Sakura was especially fond of "Uncle Kariya", and that's why he goes to confront Zouken about the adoption. Because he knows the Matou family magic will break Sakura, it would break anyone. The Matou's really only exist for Zouken's benefit...
... Unfortunately for Kariya, Sakura was already thrown into the worm pit, and has been down there for days... Already broken and traumatized. Kariya is beside himself, and instantly tries to strike a bargain with Zouken: He'll win the Fourth Holy Grail War, and when he does Zouken will release Sakura. Return her to the Tohsaka's. Zouken isn't exactly keen to hedge his bets on Kariya, but it gives the old fossil a chance to torture Kariya and make him suffer... So he tentatively agrees, insisting Sakura will continue her training until Kariya returns with the Grail.
... In one timeline, Kariya dies failing to save Sakura. He dies with Aoi believing that he killed Tokiomi... And he severely wounded her in grief and outrage.
This timeline goes better. ... For the most part. During the war, Kiritsugu's assistant Maiya encounters Kariya. She's about to kill him, threat of Berserker be damned, but he winds up begging her for an alliance. Kariya asserts that his life doesn't matter - he's got an unruly Servant, and his body is rapidly deteriorating... Kariya intends to keep fighting even if he expires in the process, but his ultimate objective is to save Sakura. Maiya and whoever she works for is under no obligation to help him, but he begs them to save Sakura... Kariya's willing to offer them his Servant's power for however long he has it, as long as they follow through on their end of the deal.
Maiya contacts Kiritsugu about Kariya's offer... And while he'd sooner just kill Berserker's Master and be done with it, his wife Iri talks him into the alliance. She points out that Kiritsugu should be able to understand Kariya's pain, wishing to save a child that he cares for dearly... And Kariya is rather bedraggled and barely functioning as it is. What's the harm in helping a dying man?
So Kiritsugu agrees to meet with Kariya. They hash out what makes Zouken so damn near "unkillable", and they agree to go to the Church about the matter. Kirei's father, Risei, knows of ways to deal with corrupt magi such as Zouken, and as the matter is not related to the Grail War directly... he agrees to put the war on hold to deal with Zouken Matou.
Zouken attempts to flee the Matou estate with Sakura, unwilling to lose his best chance in the next Grail War... But gets taken down by Risei, Kirei, and Tokiomi, who is repulsed to learn about the truth of the man he entrusted his daughter with. The "vampire" doesn't die so easily... But he is exterminated. And Sakura's body is purged of all the crest worms that defiled her body.
Kariya is offered the same treatment, but he refuses. He knows that he will die whether they deal with the crest worms or not... He needs what magic they can offer him to keep going in this war. Because even with Sakura saved from his monster of a "grandfather", Tokiomi is adamant about giving Sakura away to a different family once the war is resolved... Kariya simply refuses to allow that to happen. He continues to fight for Sakura's sake... striking a new deal with Tokiomi that should Kariya survive the war, Grail or no, he'll retain custody of Sakura for however long he lives for.
Tokiomi isn't so enthused to accept any "deal" with Kariya, a waste of a magus like him... But he's also a father. And he is well aware that Sakura will need a... grace period to recover from her trauma. He figures that whenever Kariya dies, he can negotiate with Kariya's brother to take Sakura back. With this strategy in mind, Tokiomi "accepts" Kariya's challenge.
... To his own detriment. In the end, Kirei still kills Tokiomi. He loses the chance to torment Kariya, as the Matou representative honors his word and keeps fighting alongside Kiritsugu and Saber... But it's still the same old, same old. Kiritsugu still kills Kayneth. Saber takes on and defeats Iskandar, and Gilgamesh annihilates Lancelot because of his "weak" Master. Kiritsugu fights Kirei to the death, and Saber is forced to "destroy" the Grail... which brings about calamity, anguish, and despair.
But Kariya... He manages to survive those events, similarly to Kiritsugu. It's nightmarish, wading through what would later be known as "the Great Fire", but they manage to find and rescue Shiro. Kariya leaves the boy in Kiritsugu's care, once they get him to a hospital. He returns home to the Matou estate and hashes some things out with his brother, who's leery and uncertain of what the future holds for them now that they don't have Zouken breathing down their necks...
For a few years, Kariya manages to cling on. They're not entirely happy, Sakura can tell her Uncle is seriously ailing and worries over him... But moreover, she just struggles to... accept that "grandfather" is gone. That she doesn't have to be tortured anymore. Deep down, she's bitter that she suffered at all, that her father gave her away like that...
But Kariya helps Sakura to reconnect with Aoi and Rin. He gives Sakura the choice to return to them now that Tokiomi's gone - and yes, that was an ordeal working out what happened to him; Kirei had no one to easily pin his teacher's death on, and so the man denies knowing anything at all, plays the part of the "aggrieved" student who happened to discover the body - and Sakura turns the offer down. She's... conflicted about her mother and sister, who allowed her to be given away. Though Kariya insists that they love her, and want to be with Sakura again... She just can't bring herself to fully believe him. Sakura wants things to go back to the way they were... But her initial year with the Matou's was hell. Even if she starts talking to Rin and her mother again... It's just not the same. It can never be the same. And besides... she's deeply worried about Uncle Kariya, and wants to spend as much time with him as possible. She has a terrible feeling about his deteriorating health...
A few years pass them by, and Sakura slowly goes back to the sweet, kind girl she used to be. She buries her trauma and heartache, managing to reconcile with her mother better, but Rin... It's still a little difficult. If only because Rin keeps asking if Sakura wants to learn magic, and Rin just... she keeps assuming, and... Sakura doesn't like it. After her horrifying experiences with the Matou magecraft, Sakura has grown to... hate magic. Or at least, Sakura herself wants nothing to do with it. She has no opinion if Rin practices it.
Aside from the brittle connection with Rin, Sakura has also established a sibling bond with Shinji. He's not the nicest brother ever... But his father, at Kariya's insistence, tones down Shinji's worst qualities and punishes him when he steps out of line. Shinji does try getting Sakura to be more assertive and less of a wallflower... But to his frustration, Sakura's not keen to change her ways. Especially with Kariya's rapidly failing health...
And then one night, Kariya passed away in his sleep. No warning. For a little bit, it seemed like he might be recovering... Sakura got her hopes up, and then they were dashed. She was... inconsolable for weeks after Uncle Kariya's passing. After the funeral. She spent a lot of time alone, even with Shinji, Rin, and her mother checking in on her...
Around that time, Kirei also... "checked in" with Sakura. Technically, Rin was the only one he was supposed to take on as a student... Tokiomi made no contingency for Sakura. However, with how free-spirited Rin was, she was never going to be easily manipulated. Kirei had plans to raise Rin up only to crush her later, but Sakura was... vulnerable after Kariya's death. It was all too easy to take her on as a second reluctant student. Kirei relished the opportunity to destroy both of Tokiomi's children after molding them to his liking...
Unfortunately for the sadistic priest, not all goes according to plan. A couple of years after Kariya's death, Sakura met Shiro Emiya. (人◕ω◕) They attend the same school, with Shiro being in the same year as Rin, a year above Sakura. Shiro is... He's a lot like Sakura in that he's not very outgoing. Doesn't like to impose. He's a kind, gentle soul that just tries to help everyone... And Sakura really falls hard for the boy.
It doesn't take long for her "training" with Kirei to get severely behind schedule as she spends more time with Shiro before and after school, discovering that Shiro lives by himself with only Taiga-sensei checking in on him. ... Well, to say that Shiro's alone would be a vast... understatement. (人◕ω◕);;;;;;;;; After the Fourth War, Kiritsugu went to rescue Illya from the Einzbern's. Meeting Kariya in that war inspired Kiritsugu to power through his own injuries and rescue his daughter and bring her back to Japan. So... Sakura also meets Illya, who's a year above Shiro in school... And Illya is very protective of her little brother. (人◕ω◕);;; She's grumpy the first while that Sakura visits, but eventually gets over it when Sakura helps with chores around the house. ... Illya hates manual labor. (人◕ω◕)
More than that, however... Sakura discovers that Shiro technically has an adopted mother, named Maiya. But she's rarely home, as she's working all the time. She says it's to help put food on the table, but... Shiro and Illya know there's more to it, and Maiya's just not explaining herself.
The Middle Act
Over the next several years, Sakura grows close to Shiro (... and Illya, to some extent). They settle into a routine of Sakura coming by before and after school, the routine only broken up sometimes by Kirei who grows... impatient... with his second student. (人◕ω◕)
Before they know it, the Fifth Holy Grail War arrives. ... 50 years early. (人◕ω◕) Sakura receives a set of Command Seals, marking her as a Master... And she just doesn't show interest in participating. Not when Rin is definitely going to be fighting, too. Nevertheless, Kirei tempts her with prospects of the Grail, which has the power to bring Kariya back to her. And it's not like Sakura herself has to fight to kill her enemies... Certainly, there will be participants who will take advantage of her naivete, but it's up to her how she conducts herself in battle.
Sakura's not eager to throw herself into any kind of war... But with how the last one ended, she's worried about Senpai getting impacted and wishes to protect him. ... And if she can revive Uncle Kariya, that would just make her so happy... With Sakura onboard with joining as a participant, Kirei arranges for her to receive a relic to summon a spirit - Medusa, who is summoned as Rider Class.
... Shortly after the war starts in earnest, Sakura's devastated to hear about Senpai getting grievously wounded after stumbling on a battle between two Servants. But when she goes to check up on him the morning after that attack... It's a very awkward breakfast. (人◕ω◕) For one: Senpai apparently managed to summon Saber and become a Master. And Saber picks up on Medusa's concealed presence around the home. (人◕ω◕);;;
For two... Illya is also a Master. And she summoned Berserker, of all Classes...!
Sakura-chan is very anxious during breakfast, you understand. She and Saber both are. (人◕ω◕) Illya's not bothered in the slightest. If Sakura makes a stupid move, Berserker will smash. (人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕) Shiro plays peacemaker as usual, and it's really only his cooking that manages to keep everybody calm. He explains to Sakura that Rin is also a Master, and her Servant is Archer. Shiro doesn't feel good about blabbing about Rin, but Sakura deserves the head's up, especially since they agree to be allies in this war. Sakura's rather... eager... to agree to any alliance with Senpai. ... Even if Illya would rather deal with her now. There can only be one winner, after all... (人◕ω◕);;;
Unfortunately, Sakura and Illya hanging off of Shiro in the early part of the war makes Rin rather... distant. Unwilling to add to their alliance when that's four of the seven Servants right there. Even three of seven is overkill... It makes Sakura, Shiro, and Illya pretty easy targets. None of the other participants want to drag out that alliance... Caster makes a move first, figuring that taking Shiro hostage and attempting to steal Saber from him would tip the balance of the war in her favor...
Sakura and Illya don't let that stand, however. (人◕ω◕);;; Sakura leaves Medusa to take on Assassin at the gate, while Illya and Berserker race right in to wreck Caster's crap. (人◕ω◕);;; Medea wasn't too happy to see Heracles again, and she proves no match for him. Her Master is similarly dispatched when he tries to avenge Medea's defeat... Medusa manages to defeat Assassin.
... This does leave Rin in a regrettable state of affairs. (人◕ω◕);;; With Caster and Assassin dealt with, it's literally just down to her and whoever Lancer's Master is to deal with the... alliance. Archer is particularly determined to kill Shiro Emiya, and willingly agrees to work with Lancer to keep everyone else off of Shiro...
That... could have gone a lot better. (人◕ω◕);;; Lancer's Master reneged on the deal, leaving Rin and Archer alone to tackle the alliance. Rin had absolutely no chance, going up against Sakura, Illya, Rider, Saber, and Berserker. There was just no way. Sure, Archer tried to corner Shiro, but that proved detrimental to him as Rin grew angry about Archer trying to kill Shiro of all people, and using Command Seals to make him go strictly after the Servants.
Archer does try to sever their contract, but it proves inadvisable when he's up against Berserker, Saber, and Rider. As much as he has faith in his Unlimited Blade Works... Going up against all three at once is just too much. Archer gets a severe thrashing, and has a bitter exchange with Shiro before passing on.
That's when Gilgamesh makes his move and takes down Berserker, whimsically leaving Saber and Rider alone when they prove to be resilient. He kidnaps Illya, counting on her to be the Lesser Grail, and so wishing to cross swords with Saber once more as he elaborates on the Grail's true nature.
It comes down to a fight between Shiro, Sakura, Rin, Rider, and Saber up against Lancer, Kirei, and Gilgamesh. Rin finally comes around and helps Shiro able to get enough magic to access his Reality Marble.... Something that Sakura isn't too eager to let happen, as Rin has to be very intimate with Shiro to share her crest... But it's for the sake of rescuing Illya, so she allows it. (人◕ω◕);;; But she'll be having words later...
Medusa gives Lancer a hearty battle, and he loses. Shiro defeats Kirei, with Sakura and Rin for backup. And Saber defeats Gilgamesh. With the Grail just short of completion, they go after the Greater Grail, using Saber's mightiest attack to destroy it.
... And somehow, after all that, Saber and Medusa receive new mortal bodies. How... fun. (人◕ω◕)
The Future
... So how do you suppose this all ends, anyway? (人◕ω◕) I gave a bare-bones synopsis of the Fifth Grail War, and I apologize for devolving into that... But the bottom line is that Sakura was faithful and loyal to Senpai throughout the whole thing. (人◕ω◕) Despite other interested girls popping up, despite battles getting intense... Sakura-chan fought hard to protect her man. (人◕ω◕) For a while, she almost didn't care about resurrecting Kariya... Like, of course she wanted to bring him back... But if it cost her Shiro to do it, then it's not worth it. Trading one soul for another. Much less when the Grail wasn't working as intended, and Sakura-chan was very angry to hear that the tainted Grail was responsible for how her beloved Senpai became so scarred on the inside...
It was touch and go, keeping everyone alive... But even Artoria and Medusa got to stick around, how delightful is that? (人◕ω◕);;;
Sure, by the war's end she's pretty much patched things up with Rin-neechan, getting over her past hesitation and bitterness. They're a family. And families share. (人◕ω◕);;;;;;;;; Yes, share even boys they like... Sakura isn't so coldhearted as to turn Rin away when she and Shiro have a deep, intimate bond now. But Sakura isn't so keen to give up either. She won't let Illya hog Shiro all to herself, either. Or Artoria. (人◕ω◕);;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
But Rin knows Shiro isn't all okay... Archer was a piece of work, and she doesn't want Shiro turning out like that. Sakura agrees with neechan, and grudgingly allows Rin to take Shiro on as an apprentice and study at the Clocktower for a few years. Sakura doesn't like it, and understands Artoria and Illya's objections... But Senpai needs to clear his head. Figure out what he wants to do. And besides, Sakura doesn't have any affection for magic, no desire to study at the Clocktower herself. She'll patiently wait for Senpai's return... Sure, Rin will be in the doghouse after they get back, hogging Senpai for years...
But. It's. Fine. (人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕) Before Senpai departs for London, Sakura gives him a very special gift... Her virginity, to be precise. Is it extreme? Sure. But all these other girls around Senpai, Sakura-chan didn't have a choice. She knew what she wanted and she went for it. Everyone else will just hafta deal. (人◕ω◕)
In the meantime, she, Medusa, Artoria, Mitsuzuri, and Illya will watch over the house... and later explain everything to Maiya when she gets back, flabbergasted at the developments. (人◕ω◕);;; They have a looooooot of splaining to do~...
Shiro's in for a rude awakening when he gets back to Japan. Sakura will be at the forefront of the pack, wanting another round and wanting baby Shiro's... But that's a story for another time. You know that Sakura-chan will have proposed to him within days of his return. Cuz Sakura-chan knows what she wants. (人◕ω◕)
The bottom line with this ship is that they're not perfect. Shiro still lost Kiritsugu, and Sakura still lost Kariya. The latter just got a better childhood, and wasn't a pawn of Zouken. ... Not for very long. (人◕ω◕) Shiro still has his hero complex, wanting to protect and keep Sakura happy... And Sakura's about the same as him. She wants to support and care for Senpai, to bask in his warming presence~ This Sakura's just learned to stand on her own somewhat. ... And there might be some stuff to work through with Rin because of Kirei whispering in Sakura's ear for several years... But by the end of the Grail War, Rin showed herself to be reasonable and nothing like Kirei said.
The crux of my enjoyment of this ship... is that I can understand the criticisms that remark how Shiro throws everything else away, just to be with Sakura... I get that the Heaven's Feel route is... heavy. That's why I decided to entertain a Sakura that's a little less broken. She's still got bitterness and uncertainty about the Tohsaka's, and that's understandable. But she learns to move on with her life, and she's allowed to move on~... She's not at Zouken's mercy. That's just my two cents about the Sakura x Shiro ship. It's pretty cute and wholesome overall... Just don't have Shiro abandon everything else for Sakura. That's just me. XD
As you guys know, the poll ended up being a 3-way tie... Technically. Although, based off the accidental "first" poll where Artoria had more votes tying her with Sakura... I'm gonna be generous and throw the King of Knights in here as an "unofficial" winner. It's the only poll that changed drastically enough, and I feel bad for flubbing up the first time. XD
... So, uh. Yeah. I'll be writing up 4 posts before posting anything. Be sure to cycle through my posts to find your favorite girl(s)... The official winners are Rin, Sakura, and Luvia. I'll be getting to Mitsuzuri, Illya, and Reines later. XD
Let's get to it, then. The first girl~... (人◕ω◕)
The Beginning
I'm gonna be weird here. I'll focus on Luvia first. (人◕ω◕) Why? Because Sakura, Rin, and Artoria are pretty predictable pairings for Shiro (all of them I support, but they're still pretty well-known ships), and they'll still be posted alongside Luvia here anyway. Let's give Luvia her day in the sun~...
Well. Her full name's Luviagelita Edelfelt. Heiress to the Edelfelt family. As far as members of the harem go, she's pretty late to the festivities... She's not even a participant of the Holy Grail War, which is a defining moment in Shiro's young life. Before we tread too much farther, I'm going to make a clarification...
Fate: Stay Night is all about branching timelines. As such, to cater to all seven members of this harem in a single worldline, we'll be looking at an AU separate from the canon ones, regardless of how similarly events may play out. Just a forewarning.
With that friendly public service announcement out in the open, let's jump right into it. (人◕ω◕) We'll be digging into the particulars of this AU's Holy Grail War in the other posts. For this one, I'm focusing on the postwar situation, since that's when Luvia came into play.
Luvia... is a young magus studying at the Clocktower in London. Pretty much the center of the magical world, the place where most magi want to end up, at least if they want to be distinguished or want to grow stronger. ... Sometimes both. (人◕ω◕) Luvia comes from an affluent, aristocratic family that practices Jewel Magecraft. As is the standard with their family lineage, she has a younger twin sister who remained behind in Finland, and is the complete opposite of her as a quiet introvert. ... Which is to say, Luvia is quite extroverted, and usually has a pleasant, graceful demeanor.
... Unless you happen to be Rin Tohsaka, in which case Luvia is always ready for a brawl. (人◕ω◕)
Did we mention she's rich? Because she is. She bought a European-style mansion not far from the Clocktower, but usually stays in the dorms, alongside Shiro and Rin... She attempted to purchase 28 rooms in the dorm to have a full floor to herself, but Rin got in the way of that, possessing a letter from Lord El-Melloi that allowed her and Shiro to have rooms on that floor... (人◕ω◕) You can imagine what transpired. That poor, poor receptionist's desk...
Still, in spite of Luvia's catty relationship with Rin, the young aristocrat is quite taken with Shiro... Or Shero, as she adoringly refers to him~... This is in part because...
1: Shiro is not a Tohsaka.
2. Shiro is the ideal gentleman type.
So even if Luvia and Rin brawl, Shiro doesn't intervene unless the sparring goes too far. Especially not in scheduled Clocktower classes. (人◕ω◕) Sure, Shiro tries politely getting them to tone it down, to get along... But Luvia can tell Shero understands that sometimes, ladies need to vent. And she does appreciate that kindhearted, empathetic part of him. Really. It's one of his defining traits. (人◕ω◕)
Luvia first met Shiro on the day he and Rin arrived in London, looking for lodgings. They were both lost, and ended up helping each other out. Luvia even brings him on as a part-time servant at her mansion. Helps pay the rent. (人◕ω◕)
But even after that initial phase of getting to know one another... Luvia became quite enamored and interested in Shiro~... He's a very interesting man: The adopted son of Kiritsugu Emiya, a veritable boogeyman of the magi world, and by proxy adopted grandson of Norikata Emiya, a sealing designate. He really is nothing like his family, at least not in the ways that matter. Shiro isn't hunting magi, he's not performing illegal experiments... As far as Luvia knows, he's following all the rules of the Clocktower as Rin's apprentice, and he genuinely cares for Luvia as a friend despite how roughly she treats Rin. (人◕ω◕)
The Middle Act
It does make Luvia curious, however... With how wonderful Shero is, there must be some darkness in him. Some blemish or skeletons in the closet... Luvia probes into Shiro's background, using what contacts and resources she has. Not because she's paranoid or thinks he'll stab her in the back... But you can never be too careful with fellow magi. They certainly like keeping their secrets.
The answers that Luvia stumble upon are... shocking, to say the least. There's apparently a ritual in the East called Heaven's Feel, which can be used to gain access to the Root. Something that all true magi seek to one day get to... But that information isn't what fascinated Luvia. The ritual itself became... contaminated, corrupted. And it's a ritual that repeats itself after several decades of storing up magical power, the Grail picking out seven people to summon Heroic Spirits to fight to the last man...
Again, not even that part interested Luvia. Not really. She already got the gist of the Grail Wars because her ancestors participated in it... The corruption tidbit was something she hadn't heard about, but apparently the problem was dealt with in this last Fifth Holy Grail War... By Shiro, Rin, and a few others. There was even indications that King Arthur himself had retained a physical form after the war, and resided in Japan... at Shero's home.
Yeah. Those were the shocking tidbits. Or that began to cover them, anyway. Not only did Shiro help stop a cataclysmic event, but he also held a deep bond with the King of Knights. ... Shiro also had a habit of being selfless to a fault, nearly sacrificing himself several times throughout that war... Even tried going toe-to-toe with Heroic Spirits... There wasn't many details of Shiro's past, though. Let alone the tales of his exploits... They were apparently getting the Top Secret treatment from the Clocktower, Luvia was lucky enough to find out what she did.
... So she attempted going straight to Shero about it. Find out what kind of man he was, because Luvia was too invested to stop digging now. Still... Luvia's questions were uncomfortable for Shiro; he couldn't bring himself to open up to an "outsider" the kind of trauma he's endured... Ultimately, what stopped him from talking about it is how everyone he's opened up to has reacted.
Anger.
Deep sadness.
Pity.
Rin made no attempt to hide the fact she disagreed with his dream of putting everyone else before himself... It's kinda why he ended up coming to the Clocktower with her. Shiro wanted to appease Rin, even if he had every intention of carrying on as he was. The Holy Grail War was a huge moment in his life, and it solidified his path forward, at least in his mind.
Sakura was just as distressed and displeased about Shiro's selflessness as Rin was. The same went for Illya, Medusa, Saber, and Mitsuzuri. They were letting Rin "handle it" for the few years they'd be at the Clocktower, attempting to "fix" him, but Shiro knew he'd be in for it when they eventually returned home... This is why he had no doubt Luvia would react in a similar way as them.
And... Shiro just didn't want to hear it from an outsider. Someone who hadn't been there in the Grail War. It was hard enough bearing his heart to his precious people who had been there at one of the most harsh and unforgiving battles in his young life... If he put others before himself, that was his business. He didn't need Luvia or anyone else telling him, "That's not right!" ... Cuz he got plenty of that from Rin. ... And Sakura.
... Of course they would be sisters...
So Shiro ran away from that conversation, leaving a very vexed and troubled Luvia Edelfelt in his wake. Sure, Shiro didn't have to share anything he didn't want to... But to completely clam up like that? Shut her out...? Luvia would be lying if she said that didn't hurt...
She wouldn't have much time to plan out her next steps, however. Rin would hear about Shiro's sudden dour mood, and bicker with Luvia about her nosy behavior.
It, uh... (人◕ω◕);;; It wouldn't take long for Lord El-Melloi II to break them up. Massive collateral damage, even going by their standards, and they got a massive chewing out for "inappropriate conduct in the halls of the Clocktower."
It also wouldn't take Rin and Waver long to figure out what Luvia was prying into. And though they believed the questions more pertinent to Shiro's state of mind were his to answer, they did reluctantly satisfy what they could of Luvia's curiosity. Hopefully to keep a repeat of this debacle from ever happening again. Rin didn't think it was Luvia's place at all to ask about Shiro or the Grail War, but Waver allowed it... (人◕ω◕);;;
And even with Waver's charity... Even with the understanding Shiro was an orphan from the ending of the Fourth Grail War, and that being how Kiritsugu adopted him... Luvia just had to know why Shiro didn't want to talk about any of this. From what she was told, it didn't sound like Shiro had PTSD... not per se. She honestly just wanted to know how being saved by Kiritsugu made him the man that he is today. The brave, yet admittedly brash, hero.
So Luvia cornered Shiro again, despite Rin's warnings to leave him alone. And upon seeing that she had learned the long and short of his life's story... he grudgingly opened up to Luvia, knowing full well she was gonna react just like everyone else.
The thing is... Luvia didn't. She didn't react the way Shiro was expecting. After hearing his dream, hearing what made Shiro Emiya tick... Luvia grew thoughtful. Sure, she could see why Rin was so frustrated with his selflessness... It wasn't a "proper" way to live, not by any stretch of the imagination.
... But as an Edelfelt, Luvia knew the mindset of dedicated servants. You could flat out order someone to retire, to settle down, be happy... And the most loyal, the most obstinate, the most stubborn of servants wouldn't be able to honor that request. Because they placed the happiness of their masters first. Shiro was absolutely thinking along those same lines, putting the rest of the world above himself because he didn't want anyone to cry...
It was a fool's dream, and Luvia couldn't fathom even a fraction of that selflessness as an heiress to her noble family.
But... Luvia had found ways to make her family's servants feel like people, to have moments of happiness even if they didn't prioritize their happiness... She could understand Rin's outrage perfectly well. Of course Luvia was concerned for Shero as well. But it's not possible to change the mindset of a servant on a dime, to let them have autonomy and a sense of self.
You have to take it one step at a time. Reflect back the loyalty you're given. As he is, Shero couldn't possibly imagine what it's like to be "happy". To have fun. To be even a tiny bit selfish.
And that's perfectly alright. Shero had signed himself on as her servant, even if just part-time, and that made Shero her responsibility. (人◕ω◕) Yes. Her Shero. Rin will just have to deal, the bratty Tohsaka heiress didn't know a thing about "true" royalty. if she did, Rin wouldn't be trying to brute force Shero into being a "normal" person. Because that's just not happening anytime soon. (人◕ω◕)
Despite his "servant" mindset, Luvia doesn't see him as truly below her. She quite sympathizes with the "commoners", and prefers a simple man to one of her station and caliber. Shero shall be her "pet project". ... Whether Rin likes it or not. (人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)
The Future
Shiro doesn't stay at the Clocktower for long, just a few years as he's allowed. And Rin goes back to Japan with him, despite resolving to return to properly study there someday.
... And to both of their chagrin, Luvia also comes to Japan with them. (人◕ω◕) It took some time, but Luvia arranged for the ruins of the old Edelfelt castles to be scrapped, and for a new one to be erected. ... Well, calling it a castle might be a little overexaggerating. (人◕ω◕) More like... Luvia paid an exorbitant amount of money to have a European-style mansion to be built within five minutes of where Shiro lives. Basically a stone's throw away. (人◕ω◕)
Luvia explains to Shiro that she's taking a break from studying at the Clocktower, too. And despite appearances, she won't necessarily be staying in Japan... Not permanently. Only when Shero's there. And she will be funding any trips around the world that he may be drawing up in his head, in his efforts to help people...
Of course, Shiro doesn't like being a burden to Luvia. Dictating her life in any way. And, well. Luvia says that's too bad, cuz she's going to help him even if he refuses it. The Edelfelt fortune is quite vast. And no matter where he tries to run, Luvia will find him. (人◕ω◕) He's a bit unnerved at her tenacity, and knows not to underestimate her resources...
But moreover, he's terrified of Rin, Illya, Saber, and Sakura's violent reactions to Luvia showing up out of the blue and pampering Shiro left and right. He was not expecting Sakura to get worked up, that's for sure. And he knows Medusa is still fiercely loyal to Sakura-chan, so Luvia's in trouble if she's set off too much... (人◕ω◕)
Luvia in general is... terrifying. (人◕ω◕) No matter how hard he tries, she just keeps showering him in generosity and charity. And in spite of his dream, Shiro finds himself... softening up to all the kind gestures. Mostly because Rin revels in the lavish stuff, like heavenly soft beds, state-of-the-art baths, imported chocolates... All except for the technology stuff. ... Don't talk to Rin about Blu-Ray players. ...... Don't. (人◕ω◕);;; In all seriousness, Shiro doesn't care about wealth or exceedingly rich and elegant stuff... But seeing Rin mooch off of him, enjoying Luvia's gifts... Luvia knows full well he wants his precious people happy, and so to make them satisfied through gifts given to him... She knows damn well how to play the game. Shiro can't object too much if Rin - or now others - are enjoying Luvia's very gracious gifts... Deep down he wants to, but knows he can't. (人◕ω◕) It especially gets vexing when Luvia gives him the world on a silver platter when it comes to renovating his kitchen. His one sanctuary in his home. (人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕) People know to let him handle the cooking... So for Luvia to give him the nicest kitchen one can buy...
... Well. It's probably the first time Shiro is perfectly fine being selfish.... Because he can take care of his precious people better with a state-of-the-art kitchen. (人◕ω◕) Yeah, that's the excuse he's running with. Don't you judge him. (人◕ω◕)
Luvia will keep softening Shiro up as the years go by. Loyalty gets repaid in spades, as far as she's concerned. (人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕)(人◕ω◕) Now... if she "hypothetically" arranges for a marriage between Shiro and herself, obtaining his signature while he's distracted making dinner one night... If such a little thing were to happen.... (人◕ω◕)
Of course this begins World War 3 in the Emiya household. ... Or perhaps a new Grail War? Who can say? (人◕ω◕) The ladies are certainly plotting marriages and baby Shiro's, anything to keep him from being a suicidal idiot that later became a bitter idiot in the guise of a Heroic Spirit...
